Murder Suspects Competency To Be Decided In August

With two suspects, Jamal Berry and Joshua Moore, to be sentenced next month after pleading guilty to the murder of Alexandria Yellow Cab driver Khalil Siddiqi, the final suspect, an Alexandria 17-year-old, will have his competency to stand trial determined on August 20, according to David Lord of the Commonwealths Attorneys office.

There is some dispute over the defendants ability to understand the charges set before him, as the 17-year-old reportedly has cognitive issues and severe learning disabilities, and defense lawyers successfully motioned to delay a trial for the suspect to undergo psychological evaluation.

Lord said that the suspects evaluation is ongoing but that a hearing scheduled for August 20 will ultimately decide whether or not he is capable of standing trial as an adult after having been charged as one. Berry will be sentenced on the same day and Moores sentence is scheduled two days earlier on August 18.

According to court documents, Moore has pled guilty to first-degree murder as the shooter using the 17-year-olds .45 caliber handgun while Berry pled guilty to second-degree murder.

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